PRESS
REVIEWS/RESPONSES
Awkward Altars
Review of Awkward Altars by Christina Houghton, Theatreview:
This piece is truly an example of the creative power of collaboration”
Fantastically Natural Environments
Review of Fantastically Natural Environments by Tru Paraha, Theatreview:
“Ruka proposes her mana through leaves of Puriri and handfuls of wiri – a beautiful dreamer swaying at the threshold”
Hine 2012
Review of Hine 2012 by Carrie-Rae Cunningham, Dancestuff:
“The performance that follows, while set in a theatre with lights, sound cues and a couple of stage hands, is about to challenge the concepts of dance, theatre, gender, culture and a whole slew of other things related to performance…It’s provocative, challenging and sometimes uncomfortable to watch”
Review of Hine 2012 by Val Smith, Theatreview:
“HINE – 2012 is addressing performance issues of presence, desire, and politics today, intelligently and sensitively. I’m inspired”
New Treaty Militia
Response to New Treaty Militia from Tru Paraha, Yellingmouth:
“The piece is abstract, and refreshingly impossible to understand. It does not reek of the codified movement vocabulary which is propagated through schools of dance in this country. These are however, highly trained practitioners who have chosen a unique path of navigation”
When Animals Dream of Sheep by Stephen Bain 2011
Review of When Animals Dream of Sheep by Raewyn Whyte, Theatreview:
“Cat Ruka is the linchpin in this second half, and hers is an extraordinary performance”
Review of When Animals Dream of Sheep by Nancy Kaur, The Common Critic:
“…a mesmerising performance of derangement by Ruka, you can almost feel every snap of her muscle and bone as she flings herself from stage to hillside in violent contortions, with seemingly perfect control”
Opening to the Dudley Benson Show 2010
Review of opening piece for Dudley Benson by Val Smith, Yellingmouth:
“Notions of the spiritual are at once revered and questioned. It’s really intelligent, but also emotional…I’m drawn into the magic of it and the artistry of how she is revealing the realm of spirituality and politics combined”
Review of opening piece for Dudley Benson by William Dart, NZ Herald:
“The evening was elegantly launched by Cat Ruka who brought sculptural precision…”
Wolf: Where Wolves Fear to Prey Presented by the Savage Sisterwolves
Review of Wolf: Where Wolves Fear to Prey Presented by the Savage Sisterwolves by Jack Gray, Theatreview:
“Cat reigns supreme with another powerful political commentary…Hard hitting, brave and in your face”
Playing Savage
Review of Playing Savage by Peter Cleave, Theatreview:
“Cat Ruka stood out…every dance-picture told a story and hers were the best in many respects even though she did not dance much”
Review of Playing Savage by Terri Ripeka Crawford, Theatreview:
“Of the thirteen items, the stand out choreographies and performances are: Playing Savage by Cat Ruka, The Drill & Reflections by Maaka Pepene, dontfeedthemanfish by Cathy Livermore and He Taura Whakapapa by Charles Koroneho. Within these items are the essence of mana wahine, tiaki whenua, the spirit of the ancient and one’s place in the universe”
Review of Playing Savage by Jennifer Shennan, Theatreview:
“It’s a tour de force, more sad than angry, a devastating image of a society afraid of its own history”
Review of Playing Savage by Francesca Horsley, NZ Listener:
“Her intense dramatic focus and poetic insight disrupted stereotypes and gave voice to tino rangatiratanga”
Review of Playing Savage by Jack Gray, Theatreview:
“Gaping her body into extreme, predatory and defiant postures, she is lithe, lyrical and articulate with an arching spine”
Review of Playing Savage by Kristian Larsen, Yellingmouth:
“Playing Savage was a solo work that I consider to be significant by dint of its astute conceptual clarity, and its wholesale trashing of cliche and catharsis. It was a powerful politically charged piece of performance art that transcended its makers artistic ego”
Review of Playing Savage by Sarah Campus, Yellingmouth:
“Performing fragments of image, (like reading the one line in a poem that really grabs you and takes your breath away), proved to be a winning formula for this young informed Maori artist, who beautifully combines her dance practice with the intelligence and tenacity of her research, academic interests and expression of her experience in Maori performing arts”
RADIO
Interview with Lynn Freeman, Arts on Sunday, Radio New Zealand National. 03 October 2010
PRINT INTERVIEW
Remix Magazine #75 (2012)
The Aucklander (2011)
Read the interview here
Sunday Magazine (2011)
No Magazine (2010)
